Wash-stand



(No Model.)

W. H. LINCOLN.

e a C es .Ia-zg. s. {I e WI'T'NEIEEEE INVENTDFI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM H. LINCOLN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASH-STAN D.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,909, dated September 1, 1891.

Application filed February 12, 1891. Serial No. 381,235. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. LINCOLN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vash- Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to household furniture, and particularly to wash-stands or similar pieces having marble tops, and has for its object the provision of novel, simple, and efficient means whereby the backs of such tops may be secured rigidly in position thereon. Heretofore said backs have been generally secured in position on the tops through the medium of screws passing through the latter into leaded sockets in the edge of the former, in which position they are braced at each end by triangular pieces of marble secured by screws passing through the top into leaded sockets in the edge thereof, such pieces extending half-way across the width of the top and preventing the placing thereon of the usual scarf or cover of such width. These screws, owing to the size of the sockets, the thinness of the marble, and its natural brittleness when screwed into the lead, in many cases cause the swelling of the latter and the consequent chipping ofi of the marble adj acent to the sockets, rendering it wholly unfit for use, and, by reason of the softness of the metal with which they engage and the strain exerted thereon by the weight of the back soon become loose, and said back, therefore, in a like condition. Furthermore, particularly where Tennessee marble is employed, it is very desirable that the back and top should correspond in shade or color and marking, so that the operation of matching the marble is performed at the mill, as is the fitting of the various parts one to the other. Then said parts are shipped in separate packages or bulks to the furniture-manufacturer, who is obliged to re-examine the whole lot and re-perform the matching operation, thereby consuming very much time.

My invention contemplates the obviation of all the disadvantages hereinbefore mentioned; and it consists in the details of con struction and the combinations of parts, as hereinafter fully described and claimed, and

as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a perspective view of a washstand with my improvements applied to the top thereof, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of the rear side of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are a vertical transverse section and a face view, partly broken away, of details. Figs. 5 and 6 are an edge and a plan view of the top and back in their folded conditions. Figs. 7 and and 8 are a perspective and a plan view of modifications.

Having reference, principally, to the provision of a pair of metallic hinges with threaded openings in the inner sides of the leaves thereof for reception of screws passing through the top and back, the screws in the latter first passing through slots in sliding plates, the lower ends of which latter being provided each with an opening for the passage of a screw into the rear edge of said top, which plates serve as stiffeners for the hinges and to maintain the back rigidly in vertical position, while the hinges leave the entire surface of the top clear and unobstructed and permit of the matching and securing of top and back in operative relation once for all, the whole being shipped to the furniture-manufacturer in a folded condition ready for placing on the stand without further trouble.

In said drawings, A represents a wash-stand having thereon marble top B with back 0 thereon, said top and back having in their outer surfaces near their meeting edges sockets for reception of bosses (Z d on the rear sides of the leaves d d of the hinges D D, said bosses having threaded openings therein for reception of and which afford extended bearings for the ends of screws 6 e f f which pass through openings from the rear sides in the top and back, and said sockets being of such depth as to permit of the ends of the bosses resting on the bottoms thereof, relieving the marble at the points of passage therethrough of the screws of strain and preventing its breaking.

E E represent metallic sliding plates or stiffeners having therein vertically-aligned longitudinal slots e e for the passage of the screws e e, which latter, obviously, are passed through said slots before being inserted in the holes in the marble, and having each an opening 6 near their lower ends for the passage of the screws f which latter engage with leaded sockets b in the rear edge of the top 13 near each of its ends, said screws when the parts are in their normal positions serving to keep the plates E E in vertical alignment,likewise the back 0, and in close relation with said rear edge of the top, in which position they resist effectually any tendency of the back toward disalignment from the vertical, and are of sufficient thickness to prevent bending, being preferably of wrought or malleable iron, although any other proper metal may be employed, thus maintaining the back rigidly in its upright position for all time. When the top and back have been matched and the hinges and plates secured thereto, such plates, before the screws 6 e are tightened, are slid into the position shown in Figs. 5 and G of the drawings, and then said screws are tight-' ened, preventing the plates from slipping down and their ends projecting over the edge of the back, where they would be in danger of injury, said top and back in transit having inserted between them plaster-of-paris to prevent strain being exerted on them outside the line of the hinges, avoiding their breaking in consequence of such strain. hen, however, the top is to be placed on the stand, the screws e e are slightly loosened, allowing the plates E E to slip downwardly until the holes in their lower ends register with the sockets f, for the purpose aforesaid.-

ith the construction hereinbefore described, by reason of the fact that the screws which secure the hinges in place engage with hard metal instead of soft, there can be no loosening of said screws. Furthermore, the placing of the bosses on the hinges in sockets in the marble relieves the screws from all lateral strain; also, the screws f are in such position relative to the back that any strain of the latter laterally only serves to exert an approximately direct longitudinal draft on said screws, thus obviating any loosening tendency thereof.

In the modification illustrated in Fig.7 the plates E E are provided with upward extensions c 6 formed integral therewith and extending above the upper edge of the back C, the free ends thereof being bent around, as at e 6"", forming eyes for reception of and in which is secured the rod F, which serves as a towel rack or hanger fora splasher, such free ends being such distance from said upper edge of the back 0 as to permit of their resting within the line of the front edge of the top B, when the latter and said back are folded without also touching said top.

In lieu of forming slots 6 6 in the plates E E, screw-holes c e 6 as shown in Fig. 8, may be provided, registering with the holes in the back and top, through which the screws e e ff pass into the bosses and the rear edge of the top 13.

iVhile I have shown the hinges D D as being plain, the same may be of course ornamented to any desired extent and of any shape other than that so shown.

WVhat I claim as my invention is as follows:

1. The combination, with a wash-stand, of a marble top and a marble back, hinges intermediate the top and back, metallic plates, screws passing through the latter, the back, and into one leaf of the hinges, and screws passing through the top and into the other leaf, the lower ends of the plates being secured to the rear edge of said top, for the purpose specified. I 2. The combination, with a wash-stand, of a marble top and a marble back, hinges intermediate the top and back, metallic plates provided with slots, screws passing through the latter, the back, and into one leaf of the hinges, screws passing through the top and into the other leaf, and screws passing through the lower ends of the plates into the rear edge of said top, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with a wash-stand, of a marble top and a marble back provided with sockets, hinges with bosses thereon in said sockets, metallic plates provided with slots, screws passing through the latter,'the

back, and into the bosses on one leaf of the.

hinges, screws passing through the top and into the bosses on the other leaf, and screws passing through the lower end of the plates into the rear edge of said top, for the purpose specified.

Int estimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th dayof February, A. D. 1891.

WILLIAM H. LINCOLN.

Witnesses:

' WM. II. POWELL,

R. DALE SPARHAWK. 

